She Walks in Beauty
by Black Stormraven
Summary: The team takes a little trip to a planet outside of Guardian Space, resulting in Razer playing with kids, Aya getting a makeover, and general fluffiness.
1. Chapter 1

"I'm sorry. My translation programming must be faulty." Aya looked up to Hal with apologetic eyes. She sounded genuinely distressed that neither she nor her teammates could understand what the alien beings were saying to them. "Given our distance from Guardian Space, this planet must not be catalogued within Oan records. Therefore, its languages are also unknown."

"It's okay, Aya," Hal offered with a hand on her shoulder. "These guys seem friendly enough." One of the smaller creatures reached out and prodded one of his ribs with a bulbous-tipped digit. He chuckled more to humor the little guy (or girl) than anything else. His reaction prompted the others to try and poke the other Lanterns and Aya, presumably to see if they would do the same.

Razer tried to avoid the aliens' curious touches without using his ring, but the temptation to at least shock the bolder ones was growing with each passing moment. "Don't be so sure, Jordan. They could very well be discussing how best to cook us for all we know."

"Are you ever not paranoid, kid?"

"It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you, Sergeant." He calmly slapped a hand away from his leg, making the alien chirp in what seemed to be annoyance.

"Calm down, Razer. You gotta remember it's their planet. We're the ones who look weird to them." Hal wasn't entirely wrong. A hodgepodge team of Green and Red Lanterns along with an AI was certainly out of place among the indigenous people.

Purple-skinned with disproportionately long arms, the natives sported huge eyes that were a solid black set in bald, teardrop-shaped heads with sharply pointed chins. In place of mouths there were only two vertical slits; the flesh around the slashes contracted and expanded as they spoke, although none of the visitors understood their words. Similar openings on the sides of their skulls must have been what equated to ears. All were slender and graceful, but some appeared more fluid and lithe than others (Aya, after consulting her internal databanks, concluded that they were in all probability the females of the species). Their flowing clothing reflected this ease of movement as the fabrics stirred with the slightest shift in wind or stance. They were also unendingly fascinated with their alien guests.

Razer was the only one annoyed by the constant prodding, even though the crowd that had gathered around them had thinned considerably. Hal and Kilowog were trying to establish some kind of communication, while Aya merely observed and processed every nanobit of data she could; a trio of golden-clad aliens seemed particularly interested in her. One held her arm up while another inspected it, the other reaching out to stroke her face. Razer readied his ring hand to defend her if necessary, but something else distracted him, something that sort of hurt.

He spun into an attack stance to blast whatever had hit him in the face to find a large ball bouncing along the ground back to a small cluster of what appeared to be children. One child cocked its head at him before throwing the ball back. This time the Red Lantern caught it and stared at it as if it were something foul. A large hand clapped on his shoulder before Kilowog's booming laugh reverberated through his bones. "Looks like you got some new friends, kid."

"What are you talking about?" he replied nonchalantly.

"I think they wanna play with you, Razer," Hal interjected while letting a stooped alien (most likely an elder) trace the outline of one of his gloves. "Toss the ball back."

Razer had no desire to play, not while his senses were still on alert for any possible danger. But the little ones actually looked eager for his next move. He thought about sending the ball into the air and blasting it…for about one second. The foremost child caught the toy as it returned to him, then raised a leg to kick it towards another child. He watched them play for several moments, instinctively drawn to their innocent joy before they sent the ball back to him. This time, he decided a little revenge was in order and hurled the ball at Hal's back. "HEY!" His shock turned to outright glee when he saw the playful smirk on Razer's face. "Okay, you wanna play it like that? Heads up, kids!"

They lost themselves in play for the moment, each Lantern grateful for the respite from the whole running-for-their-lives-every-five-minutes pace that dominated their waking hours. Even Razer found himself grinning every now and then. When he took a moment to rest he noticed that someone was missing. "Where's Aya?"

Kilowog glanced back at him over his shoulder, pausing in his inspection of the detailwork on a native's golden armband. "She went off a while ago."

"What?! Alone?"

"Calm down, poozer. She went with a few ladies. Aya'll be just fine; she's a big girl. She can take care of herself. 'Sides, you're gonna have your hands full in a minute."

"Wha-" His face suddenly became very good friends with the ground as he was tackled by two children. The others quickly followed suit and piled on top of him, much to Hal's delight and his own irritation. "Get off! I've got to find Aya!"

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**Yes, another Razaya fic. Leemmealone!**


	2. Chapter 2

"Your city is most extraordinary." Although they gave no indication of understanding her, the three females titled their heads at her in acknowledgement. She wasn't exaggerating with her statement. Despite their tribal clothing and seemingly naïve curiosity, the natives' central city was populated with towering structures that glowed with a soft white energy (not unlike Aya's own hardlight flesh), inhabitants making their way down streets with numerous tech devices, and vehicles that operated by counteracting the planet's natural gravitational force so that they glided without a sound. Whatever Aya had been expecting, it certainly wasn't this level of sophistication and technology.

She was led to a small dwelling away from the relative bustle of the busier streets. One female stepped through the doorway first, the other two remaining behind and gesturing for Aya to follow. It appeared to be the first female's home, judging by the personal décor, the comfort and familiarity with which the female moved around the furnishings, and the "lived-in" atmosphere. She disappeared into the back of the house while the others gently urged Aya to a room where a large basin sat beneath a skylight. She watched with rapt fascination as the basin began to fill with water from the bottom rather than from the top. Her inspection was interrupted when slender fingers attempted to pry off her metal components.

"What are you doing?" The smaller of the two pointed at her chest piece then made a separating motion with her hands. "You wish to remove my casings. Why?" They both made the gesture again, trying next for the metal cylinders of her arms. "You cannot remove them. They are a part of me." She saw that they did not understand, so she showed them. She bent one arm and scratched at the edge of the gauntlet where hard metal met with only slightly softer hardlight. The females leaned closer to observe, then moved back with a single nod. They must have understood since they did not attempt to take off the casings again.

Instead, they each took a cloth and gestured for Aya to get into the now-full basin. Although liquid was normally a death sentence for anything comprised of wires and circuitry, Aya was no primitive machine. She stepped over the rim and submerged herself to the shoulders, silently thanking her foresight to create a waterproof "skin" when she'd first created her physical form. The females stood by the tub and began to wipe away the thin layer of grime that had accumulated on her body after the last misadventure she and her teammates had endured. They were exceedingly gentle, yet there was strength and firmness in their hands; she theorized that if she were an organic being the experience would have felt…nice.

"Please explain," she said when they led her out of the water and dried her. "What is the purpose of all of this?" They titled their heads at her. Recalling what Green Lantern Hal usually did in situations where he did not understand something, Aya spread her arms in front of the tub then down her body before shrugging. The taller female seemed to understand; she stepped forward and pulled a long sleeve up to reveal intricate designs painted on her purple skin. Sparkling black swirls and dots and gentle curves decorated her skin from wrist to elbow; she revealed similar markings on her lower legs as well. The shorter one, after catching on, was eager to show off her own designs, hers a pale green instead of black and only covered her wrist and ankles. "Are these markings indicative of societal standing, or of some other form of recognition?" Another synchronized head tilt was her only answer. "Sigh."

The third female returned, a small bowl and several thin brushes in hand, as the other two wrapped a length of cloth over Aya's body in an intricate drape. Aya observed with no small amount of wonder as the fabric's color shifted until it nearly matched the color of her robotic components; where her casings were a solid white, the fabric became almost opalescent, shimmering in the dimming sunlight. Small details along the edges appeared in tiny swirls of green and red, all without any kind of external control. "Fascinating," she whispered sincerely.

Their task complete, the two that had bathed and dressed her stepped aside to a small table where the bowl and brushes now sat. The other, presumably a superior to them based on her more extensive markings up her arms and neck and the way the others deferred to her in respect, looked Aya over in appraisal. She adjusted various places where the way the cloth laid did not suit her taste. Aya remained still and quiet during this inspection, recording and compiling every minute movement and sound for later analysis. When she was satisfied, the leader took her hand and sat her down on a small stool where the others waited.

Without another moment wasted, the women each took a brush and dipped them into the white substance, now glowing softly in the dimming light, in the bowl. Seeing Aya's confusion, the superior lifted her sleeve and gestured to the gold designs that twisted their way up the full length of her arm and onto her long neck. That same hand lightly covered Aya's and traced up to her shoulder. She then pointed to the bowl, then to her brush, then back to the robot's artificial limb. Aya understood: they wanted to paint her with her own designs. Always eager to experience new things, she held out both arms and let them do as they wished.


	3. Chapter 3

"This is a waste of time," Razer growled, his arms crossed and a small purple-skinned child clinging to his leg. "We need to be looking for Aya. It's getting dark and…"

"Would you relax for once, Razer? Like Kilowog said, Aya's a big girl. She's saved our butts more times than I can count, so I'm sure she can handle herself with our new friends. Right, Tim?"

Kilowog, who was currently lying on his back with four children using him as what Hal would call a jungle gym, shot a curious glance at the human. "'Tim'? Who or what is Tim?"

Hal threw an arm around the male leader of the group, easily distinguished by his elaborate gold tattoos and the intricacy of his clothing. "The head honcho here. He looks like a Tim, don'tcha think?" Razer scowled and Kilowog simply raised an eyebrow. "Well, I couldn't just keep calling him 'you guy', and he doesn't seem to mind."

Razer let out a huff coupled with an eyeroll. "This is pointless. We can't communicate with these people, we don't need anything from here, and this whole excursion has left us with one crewmate missing."

Hal sighed dramatically to intentionally tick Razer off. "Fiiiiine. If it'll make you feel better I'll call her. But I'm telling you she's fine." He raised his now-glowing ring to his mouth. "Aya, come in." No response. "Aya, report please." Still no reply. Now Razer's over-protectiveness was starting to creep into his own mind. "Aya? You there?"

"I am here, Green Lantern Hal." Everyone turned to the sound of her voice, so serene and oddly melodic in the darkening air, and those in possession of a lower mandible quickly found it dragging the ground when the AI stepped into full view. The native children left their Lantern playmates to run to the three females who had hours before whisked the robot away to parts unknown, seemingly oblivious to Aya's new transformation.

Not only was she now wrapped in a shimmering garment with hints of green and red at the edges, but delicate, flowing swirls covered her green hardlight flesh. The white designs seemed to cast their own luminescence from her skin and added to her etherealness. Razer was especially entranced by her new appearance. On one hand she walked the same, sounded the same, looked at all of them with the same innate intrigue, curiosity, and confidence she always did. But on the other she seemed like an entirely new person. She was the same, yet completely different. "Aya…you look…you're…wow," Hal sputtered.

"I assume that you are pleased with my new modifications." She sounded almost coy. How did she manage to be shy without any of the discomfort? Her gaze subtly strayed to Razer, who could not meet her eyes without blushing. "I have learned that these people, or rather the females of the species, paint their skin with symbols and decorations that denote their place in society as well as the home. The more elaborate the design, the more important she is within the unit. They believe that I am of the utmost import to this team, hence the extensive artwork they have given me. In a way, these markings are not dissimilar to those of your people, Razer, correct?"

All eyes turned to the Red Lantern and he could no longer admire her unnoticed. He shook his head briefly before turning it down, re-crossed his arms, and a muttered a "in a way" under his breath. He didn't see Aya's look of concern, nor the glances exchanged between the three females who had gifted her with their art.

Hal was the first to recover and stepped up to her, taking her hand in his and chastely kissing the back of it (thankfully, Razer also didn't see that). "'She walks in beauty, like the night. Of cloudless climes and starry skies. And all that's best of dark and bright meet in her aspect and her eyes.'"

"Lord George Gordon Noel Byron, a 19th century Earth politician and poet who wrote prolifically about the complexities of love and all its aspects."

"Byron, huh. I always thought that poem was by Shakespeare." Hal simply shrugged, just happy he'd gotten those few lines right otherwise Aya would still be correcting him. "Anyway, you look beautiful, Aya."

"You sure do, kid," Kilowog added, finally snapping out of his stupor. "And those ladies are right: you're a crucial part of this team. Heck, we wouldn't last two days without you. Isn't that right, red?"

Razer silently pondered all the ways he could wipe the self-satisfied smirk off the sergeant's face for making him the center of attention again, but held back from expressing his irritation. "Right. Can we go now?"

While Hal and Kilowog said (or tried to) their goodbyes, Aya made a note in her internal databanks to ask Razer a question later.

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**I'm not too happy with that last line, but eh. One more chapter to go!**


	4. Chapter 4

"Razer, may I speak with you for a moment." She didn't phrase it as a question. When she used that tone of voice he knew arguing would be pointless.

"Of course, Aya." He nearly jumped when he turned to her; he'd nearly forgotten about her new 'cosmetic modifications'. "What is it?"

"Earlier, when you first saw my new decorative markings you seemed…upset by them. I know that in the past you were perturbed by my curiosity about such modifications and designs. Have I offended you by accepting them?"

He blinked. After all this time and she still thought that _she_ was the problem, not him. Not the Red Lantern who murdered thousands of innocent beings. Not the Red Lantern who constantly pushed away everyone who attempted to befriend him out of some sense of deserved punishment for his sins. Not the man who felt that his ever-strengthening emotions for the AI were a betrayal of the worst kind of the first woman he'd ever loved.

Razer stared at her for a long moment. His gaze traced the swirls of luminescent paint that traveled over her cheeks and down her neck, the lines of tiny dots that arched over and around her eyes. He'd always thought her beautiful since the day she's created her physical body; there was no denying that. But now, standing before him adorned in sacred marks and garb bestowed upon her by a benevolent tribe of still-unknown beings… She was nothing short of breathtaking. If only he could tell her as much.

"Aya," he whispered, the gloom of his quarters pressing upon him as he stepped towards her. He gently took one of her hands in his, keeping his eyes on the designs painted on her fingers; he was certain he would lose his nerve if he looked anywhere else. "My markings are deeply personal for me. I earned them in the custom of my people. You have earned these-" he lightly traced a flowing line of glowing white from her fingertip to knuckle "-and should wear them with pride…if you decide to keep them, of course." A sudden burst of courage brought his head up to meet her eyes. "Don't worry about what anyone else thinks of what you look like. You're…" He cut himself off when he realized just what he was saying. The word _perfect_ almost left his lips. That would have been awkward. He looked down to the floor again and released her hand. "Anyway, that's just my opinion."

Aya tilted her head. "That does not quite answer my query, Razer. Have I offended you by accepting them?"

He sighed, mostly out of exasperation with himself for not being as eloquent with females as Hal. "No, Aya. I'm not offended in the slightest."

She smiled at him then, a smile with more than a hint of mischief behind those luminous eyes. "That is good…because I quite like them and have no intention of removing them any time soon."

He almost laughed at the impish playfulness in her voice. "And the gown?" He brushed the edge of the flowing fabric with the tips of his fingers. It hadn't escaped his notice that the designs on the hem were a telling red and green, both shades entwining and separating as they travelled the length of the dress.

"Seeing as it does not interfere with my duties aboard the _Interceptor_, I would like to wear it when my services are not required elsewhere."

"I am certain that Hal and Kilowog would not object." Aya graced him with one more smile, then turned to exit his quarters, her question answered and the conversation ended. "Aya," he found himself calling. He fumbled for words while she waited with unerring patience at his door. He was no poet, so the best he could manage was a soft "You look beautiful."

Her eyes sparkled and her smile widened minutely. She looked so happy that he couldn't stop the tiny smile that crept onto his lips. "Thank you, Razer." She turned to leave again, but stopped when a thought struck her. "You also look beautiful."

Razer stood staring at his for a long moment after she'd already departed. Well, that wasn't exactly the response he'd expected, but he'd take it.


End file.
